Guideline:

DAILY IRON SUPPLEMENTATION

IN ADULT WOMEN
AND ADOLESCENT GIRLS

WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls
1.Iron - administration and dosage. 2.Anaemia - prevention and control. 3.Adolescent girls. 4.Adult women.
5.Menstruating women. 6.Guideline. I.World Health Organization.
ISBN 978 92 4 151019 6

(NLM classification: WH 160)

World Health Organization 2016

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WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls. Geneva: World Health
Organization; 2016.

iv

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS VII
Financial support VII
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
Purpose of the guideline 1
Guideline development methodology 1
Available evidence 1
Recommendation 2
Remarks 2
Research priorities 3
SCOPE AND PURPOSE 4
BACKGROUND 4
OBJECTIVES 5
SUMMARY OF AVAILABLE EVIDENCE 5
RECOMMENDATION 6
RATIONALE 6
REMARKS 7
RESEARCH PRIORITIES 8
DISSEMINATION, IMPLEMENTATION AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS 8
Dissemination 8
Implementation 9
Regulatory considerations 9
Monitoring and evaluation of guideline uptake and adaptation
9
GUIDELINE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS 10
Advisory groups 10
Scope of the guideline, evidence appraisal and decision-making
11
MANAGEMENT OF COMPETING INTERESTS 12
PLANS FOR UPDATING THE GUIDELINE 13
REFERENCES 14
ANNEX 1.
GRADE Summary of findings table 16
ANNEX 2.

Summary of the considerations of the members of the guideline development group

for determining the strength of the recommendation for daily oral iron supplementation
in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls 17

ANNEX 3.

WHO Steering Committee for Nutrition Guidelines Development

ANNEX 4.

WHO Guideline development group 19

ANNEX 5.

External resource experts 22

ANNEX 6.

WHO Secretariat 23

18

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

vi

ANNEX 7.

Peer-reviewers 24

ANNEX 8.

Questions in population, intervention, control, outcomes (PICO) format 25

Effects and safety of iron supplementation in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls
25

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This guideline was coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) Evidence and Programme Guidance
Unit, Department of Nutrition for Health and Development. Dr Pura Rayco-Solon, Dr Lisa Rogers and Dr Juan
Pablo Pea-Rosas oversaw the preparation of this document. WHO acknowledges the technical contributions
of the following individuals (in alphabetical order): Dr Andrea Bosman, Ms Hala Boukerdenna, Dr Carmen
Casanovas, Dr Camila Chaparro, Dr Maria Nieves Garca-Casal, Dr Viviana Mangiaterra, Ms Zita Weise Prinzo
and Mr Gerardo Zamora. We also thank the peer-reviewers Ms Solange Durao, Dr Tran Khanh Van and Ms
Terrie Wefwafwa.
We would like to express our gratitude to Dr Susan Norris from the WHO Guidelines Review Committee
Secretariat and members of the Guidelines Review Committee for their technical support throughout the
process. Thanks are also due to Ms Alma Alic from the Department of Compliance and Risk Management and
Ethics, for her support in the management of the conflicts of interests procedures. Ms Jennifer Volonnino,
from the Evidence and Programme Guidance Unit, Department of Nutrition for Health and Development,
provided logistic support.
WHO gratefully acknowledges the technical input of the members of the WHO Steering Committee for
Nutrition Guidelines Development and the WHO guidelines development groups, especially the chairs of the
meeting concerning this guideline, Ms Deena Alaasor and Dr Maria Elena del Socorro Jefferds.

Financial support

WHO thanks the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for providing financial support for this work. The
Micronutrient Initiative and the International Micronutrient Malnutrition Prevention and Control Program of
the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided financial support to the Evidence
and Programme Guidance Unit, Department of Nutrition for Health and Development, for the commissioning
of systematic reviews of nutrition interventions. Donors do not fund specific guidelines and do not participate
in any decision related to the guideline development process, including the composition of research questions,
membership of the guideline groups, conduct and interpretation of systematic reviews, or formulation of
recommendations.

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

vii

WHO GUIDELINE1: DAILY IRON SUPPLEMENTATION IN ADULT WOMEN AND ADOLESCENT GIRLS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Globally, one in three non-pregnant women, corresponding to almost 500 million women, were anaemic in
2011. Iron deficiency is thought to contribute to at least half of the global burden of anaemia. Iron deficiency
occurs following prolonged negative iron balance, the major causes of which include inadequate intake
(owing to insufficient bioavailable iron in the diet or decreased iron absorption), increased iron requirements
(for instance, during periods of growth) and chronic blood loss (from heavy hookworm infection or menstrual
bleeding). In adolescent girls, menstrual blood losses, accompanied by rapid growth with expansion of the
red cell mass and increased tissue iron requirements, make them particularly vulnerable to iron deficiency
compared to male counterparts. This guideline reviews the evidence and updates the recommendation for
daily iron supplementation in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls.

Purpose of the guideline

This guideline aims to help Member States and their partners in their efforts to make informed decisions on
the appropriate nutrition actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (1), the global targets
set in the Comprehensive implementation plan on maternal, infant and young child nutrition (2) and the
Global strategy for womens, childrens and adolescent girls health (20162030) (3). The recommendation in
this guideline is intended for a wide audience, including policy-makers, their expert advisers, and technical and
programme staff at organizations involved in the design, implementation and scaling-up of programmes for
anaemia prevention and control, and in nutrition actions for public health. The recommendation supersedes
those of previous WHO guidelines on iron supplementation in menstruating adult women and adolescent
girls.

Guideline development methodology

WHO developed the present evidence-informed recommendation using the procedures outlined in the WHO
handbook for guideline development (4). The steps in this process included: (i) identification of priority questions
and outcomes; (ii) retrieval of the evidence; (iii) assessment and synthesis of the evidence; (iv) formulation
of recommendation, including research priorities; and planning for (v) dissemination; (vi) implementation,
equity and ethical considerations; and (vii) impact evaluation and updating of the guideline. The Grading
of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology was followed (5), to
prepare evidence profiles related to preselected topics, based on up-to-date systematic reviews.
The guideline development group consisted of content experts, methodologists and representatives of
potential stakeholders and beneficiaries. One guideline group participated in a meeting concerning this
guideline, held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 2025 February 2010, where the guideline was scoped. A second
guideline group participated in a meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 1418 March 2011, to discuss
the safety of iron supplementation in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls living in areas of high
malaria transmission, and a third meeting was convened in Geneva, Switzerland, on 2326 June 2014, where
the guideline was finalized. Three experts served as technical peer-reviewers of the draft guideline.

Available evidence

The available evidence comprised a systematic review (6) that followed the procedures of the Cochrane
This publication is a World Health Organization (WHO) guideline. A WHO guideline is any document, whatever its title, containing WHO
recommendations about health interventions, whether they be clinical, public health or policy interventions. A standard guideline is
produced in response to a request for guidance in relation to a change in practice, or controversy in a single clinical or policy area, and
is not expected to cover the full scope of the condition or public health problem. A recommendation provides information about what
policy-makers, health-care providers or patients should do. It implies a choice between different interventions that have an impact on
health and that have ramifications for the use of resources. All publications containing WHO recommendations are approved by the
WHO Guidelines Review Committee.

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

handbook for systematic reviews of interventions (7) and assessed the effects of daily iron supplementation
in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls. The reviews included individually randomized and clusterrandomized controlled trials. All studies compared a group of non-pregnant adolescent girls and menstruating
adult women who received daily oral iron supplementation to a group that did not receive iron. The overall
quality of the available evidence for daily iron supplementation in menstruating adult women and adolescent
girls was moderate for the critical outcomes of anaemia and iron deficiency. No evidence was available for
the outcomes of iron deficiency anaemia and malaria-related morbidity. The WHO Secretariat conducted an
additional search for evidence prior to the finalization of the guideline (November 2015), and did not identify
any additional relevant studies.

Recommendation1

Daily iron supplementation is recommended as a public health intervention in menstruating adult women
and adolescent girls, living in settings where anaemia is highly prevalent (40% anaemia prevalence),2 for the
prevention of anaemia and iron deficiency (strong recommendation, moderate quality of evidence).

Suggested scheme for daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls
TARGET GROUP

Menstruating adult women and adolescent girls (non-pregnant females in the

reproductive age of group)

SUPPLEMENT COMPOSITION

3060 mg elemental irona

SUPPLEMENT FORM

Tablets

FREQUENCY

Daily

DURATION

Three consecutive months in a year

SETTINGS

Where the prevalence of anaemia in menstruating adult women and adolescent

girls is 40% or higherb

3060 mg of elemental iron equals 150300 mg of ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, 90180 mg of ferrous fumarate or 250500 mg of
ferrous gluconate.
b
In the absence of prevalence data in this group, consider proxies for high risk of anaemia. For the most recent estimates, visit the WHO
hosted Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Information System (VMNIS) (8).
a

Remarks

The remarks in this section are intended to give some considerations for implementation of the
recommendation, based on the discussion of the guideline development group.

Daily oral iron supplementation is a preventive strategy for implementation at the population level.
If a menstruating woman or adolescent girl is diagnosed with anaemia, national guidelines for the
treatment of anaemia should be followed.

Daily iron supplementation should be considered in the context of other interventions containing
iron (fortified foods, multiple micronutrient powders, lipid-based nutrient supplements).

This recommendation supersede those of previous WHO guidelines on iron supplementation in menstruating adult women and
adolescent girls.

Where the prevalence of anaemia is 40% or higher in this age group. For the latest estimates, please refer to the WHO-hosted Vitamin
and Mineral Nutrition Information System (VMNIS) (8).

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

The selection of the most appropriate delivery platform should be context specific, with the aim
of reaching the most vulnerable populations and ensuring a timely and continuous supply of
supplements.

All women, from the moment they begin trying to conceive until 12 weeks of gestation, should
take a folic acid supplement. Daily oral iron and folic acid supplementation should be part of
routine antenatal care, begun as early as possible and continued throughout pregnancy. Where
the prevalence of anaemia in pregnant women is high (40% or more), supplementation should
continue for 3 months in the postpartum period (10, 11).

Research priorities

Discussions between the members of the WHO guideline development group and the external review group
highlighted the limited evidence available in some knowledge areas, meriting further research on iron
supplementation in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls, particularly in the following areas:

the optimal dose, schedule and duration of iron supplementation; the effect of different doses and
duration of iron supplementation on different severity, prevalence or causes of anaemia in all WHO
regions;

additional data on the safety of iron supplementation (liver damage; iron overload after continuing
the supplementation programme for a number of years; iron supplementation given in conjunction
with other interventions; insulin resistance; effects on non-anaemic or non-iron-deficient women
and adolescent girls);

the effect of adding other micronutrients to the iron supplement on haemoglobin concentrations
and the prevalence of anaemia;

implementation research on effective behaviour-change strategies for sustained adherence and

innovative delivery mechanisms for iron supplements;

additional long-term studies on functional outcomes (e.g. exercise performance and productivity);

cost, costbenefit and feasibility analysis of the distribution of iron supplementation to be taken
daily or intermittently among menstruating adult women and adolescent girls.

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

WHO GUIDELINE1: DAILY IRON SUPPLEMENTATION IN ADULT WOMEN AND ADOLESCENT GIRLS
SCOPE AND PURPOSE
This guideline provides a global, evidence-informed recommendation on daily iron supplementation in menstruating
adult women and adolescent girls, as a public health intervention for the prevention of anaemia and iron deficiency.
The guideline aims to help Member States and their partners in their efforts to make informed decisions on the
appropriate nutrition actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (1), in particular, Goal 2: End
hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. It will also support
Member States in their efforts to achieve the global targets set in the Comprehensive implementation plan on
maternal, infant and young child nutrition, as endorsed by the Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly in 2012, in
resolution WHA65.6 (2), and the Global strategy for womens, childrens, and adolescent girls health (20162030)
(3).
The recommendation in this guideline is intended for a wide audience, including policy-makers, their expert
advisers, and technical and programme staff at government institutions and organizations involved in the design,
implementation and scaling-up of programmes for anaemia prevention and control, and in nutrition actions for public
health. This guideline is intended to contribute to discussions among stakeholders when selecting or prioritizing
interventions to be undertaken in their specific context. This document presents the key recommendation and a
summary of the supporting evidence.

BACKGROUND
Globally, one in three non-pregnant women, corresponding to almost 500 million women, were anaemic in
2011 (12). Iron deficiency is thought to contribute to at least half of the global burden of anaemia, though this
proportion can vary widely and is very context specific. Iron deficiency occurs following prolonged negative
iron balance, the major causes of which include inadequate intake (owing to insufficient bioavailable iron in
the diet or decreased iron absorption), increased iron requirements (for instance, during periods of growth)
and chronic blood loss (from heavy hookworm infection or menstrual bleeding) (13).
From the time that girls enter menarche until menopause, women are at high risk of iron deficiency, owing
to menstrual blood losses. In adolescent girls, menstrual blood losses, accompanied by rapid growth with
expansion of the red cell mass and increased tissue iron requirements, make them particularly vulnerable to
iron deficiency compared to their male counterparts (14).
Public health interventions that improve iron status in populations include nutrition counselling that promotes
diet diversity and food combinations that improve iron absorption; fortification of staple or routinely
consumed foods with iron; point-of-use fortification with multiple micronutrients including iron; treatment of
preventable causes of iron losses such as hookworm infestation; and iron supplementation.
In 2001, WHO recommended preventive supplementation of 60 mg/day iron for three months for non-pregnant
women of reproductive age in settings where the prevalence of anaemia is above 40% (13). This guideline
reviews the evidence and updates the recommendation for daily iron supplementation in menstruating adult
women and adolescent girls.
This publication is a World Health Organization (WHO) guideline. A WHO guideline is any document, whatever its title, containing WHO
recommendations about health interventions, whether they be clinical, public health or policy interventions. A standard guideline is
produced in response to a request for guidance in relation to a change in practice, or controversy in a single clinical or policy area, and is
not expected to cover the full scope of the condition or public health problem. A recommendation provides information about what policymakers, health-care providers or patients should do. It implies a choice between different interventions that have an impact on health and
that have ramifications for the use of resources. All publications containing WHO recommendations are approved by the WHO Guidelines
Review Committee.

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

OBJECTIVES
The recommendation in this guideline supersedes those of previous WHO guidelines on iron supplementation,
such as Iron deficiency anaemia: assessment, prevention, and control. A guide for programme managers (13),
where they pertain specifically to daily oral iron supplementation among menstruating adult women and
adolescent girls (non-pregnant females in the reproductive age group). This guideline complements the WHO
Guideline: intermittent iron and folic acid supplementation in menstruating women (9), which is applicable to
settings where the prevalence of anaemia among non-pregnant women of reproductive age is 20% or higher.

SUMMARY OF AVAILABLE EVIDENCE

The evidence that informed the recommendation on daily iron supplementation in menstruating adult women
and adolescent girls is based on a systematic review of women and adolescent girls beyond menarche and
prior to menopause who were not pregnant or lactating and did not have any condition that impedes the
presence of menstrual periods (6). The systematic review also included studies for which results for girls and
women aged between 12 and 50 years (plausible age range for menstruation) could be extracted separately, or
in which more than half of the participants fulfilled this criterion. The review excluded studies on populations
with conditions affecting iron metabolism, intestinal malabsorption conditions, ongoing excessive blood loss
(including ongoing blood donations), inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, chronic congestive cardiac failure,
chronic renal failure, chronic liver failure or chronic infectious disease, or hospitalized or ill patients.
The review included randomized controlled trials comparing daily iron supplementation (with or without a
cointervention such as folic acid or vitamin C) to placebo or supplementation without iron. Daily
supplementation was defined as receiving iron for at least 5 days in a week.
The systematic review searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Ovid MEDLINE,
Embase (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCOHost), Conference Proceedings Citation Index Science (CPCI-S), Science
Citation Index (SCI), POPLINE, IMSEAR, LILACS, IMERMR, African Index Medicus, and the following databases
for grey literature: WorldCat, DART-Europe E-theses Portal, Australasian Digital Theses Program, Theses
Canada Portal, and ProQuest-Dissertations and Theses. The search for evidence was done in September 2014.
The review included 62 trials involving 7523 women and adolescent girls (3951 in the intervention arm and
3572 in the control arm). These studies were conducted in 24 countries with representation from low-, middleand high-income countries. The sample size ranged between 10 and 1390 participants. Overall, the sample
size tended to be small; 96% of the studies included fewer than 400 women and adolescent girls.
Menstruating women and adolescent girls who received daily iron supplementation had a lower risk for the
critical outcomes of anaemia (risk ratio [RR]: 0.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.20 to 0.57; 9 trials, n=2905)
and iron deficiency (RR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.47 to 0.77; 6 trials, n=1033) compared to menstruating women and
adolescent girls receiving placebo or supplementation without iron. No trials reported on the outcome of iron
deficiency anaemia.
There were 48 studies that reported on haemoglobin concentration. The large number of studies and participants
for this outcome allowed for evaluation of subgroup differences. Haemoglobin levels were significantly higher
among those given iron supplementation compared to those given placebo or supplementation without iron
(mean difference [MD]: 5.61 g/L; 95% CI: 4.44 to 6.79; 48 trials, n =6390). There was no evidence of difference
in the effect of iron supplementation compared to placebo or supplementation without iron on haemoglobin
by dose (<30 mg, 3160 mg, 61100 mg, >100 mg; test for subgroup difference 2 =1.32; P = 0.72) or duration
(<1 month, 13 months, >3 months; test for subgroup difference 2 =4.12; P= 0.13).
Only one study specifically reported being performed in a malaria-endemic area (15). One of the two villages

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

in Northern Thailand where this study was performed was endemic to malaria (10% of the population had a
positive blood smear). However, malaria-related morbidities were not reported in this study.
Results from six trials on any side effect did not show a statistically significant difference in the risk of side
effects between the iron-supplementation group and those receiving placebo or supplementation without
iron (RR: 2.11; 95% CI: 0.87 to 5.11; 6 trials, n = 534; very low quality evidence). There was an increased risk
of any gastrointestinal side-effects (RR: 1.99; 95% CI: 1.26 to 3.12; 5 trials, n =521; low quality evidence). Sideeffects were not pre-specified as critical guideline outcomes and these data are not shown in the Grading of
Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE) summary of findings table.
The quality of evidence for the critical outcomes is moderate for anaemia and iron deficiency, using the GRADE
methodology (5, 16, 17); there was no evidence for the outcome of iron deficiency anaemia. The GRADE
summary of findings table for daily oral iron supplementation compared to placebo or control in menstruating
adult women and adolescent girls is shown in Annex 1.

RECOMMENDATION
Daily iron supplementation is recommended as a public health intervention in menstruating adult women and
adolescent girls, living in settings where anaemia is highly prevalent,1 for the prevention of anaemia and iron
deficiency (strong recommendation, moderate quality of evidence).
The suggested scheme for daily iron supplementation in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls is
presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Suggested scheme for daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

TARGET GROUP

Menstruating adult women and adolescent girls (non-pregnant females in the

reproductive age group)

SUPPLEMENT COMPOSITION

3060 mg elemental irona

SUPPLEMENT FORM

Tablets

FREQUENCY

Daily

DURATION

Three consecutive months in a year

SETTINGS

Where the prevalence of anaemia in menstruating adult women and adolescent

girls is 40% or higherb

3060 mg of elemental iron equals 150300 mg of ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, 90180 mg of ferrous fumarate or 250500 mg of
ferrous gluconate.
In the absence of prevalence data in this group, consider proxies for high risk of anaemia. For the most recent estimates, visit the
WHO-hosted Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Information System (VMNIS) (8).

RATIONALE
The guideline development group took into consideration the following factors during the deliberations:

Anaemia and iron deficiency had moderate quality of evidence. None of the studies reported
on iron deficiency anaemia. However, synthesis of evidence from studies that reported on

Where the prevalence of anaemia is 40% or higher in this age group. For the latest estimates, please refer to the WHO-hosted Vitamin
and Mineral Nutrition Information System (VMNIS) (8).

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

haemoglobin concentration had high quality. The effect sizes of the intervention on the outcomes
with data were large. There was no evidence presented for malaria-related morbidity.

Adherence may be a concern if the intervention is perceived as non-essential. Barriers to

adherence may need to be addressed (for instance, with behaviour-change communication if
the intervention is not perceived as necessary among the beneficiaries). Among the studies that
measured compliance, between 65% and 98% of the tablets were consumed, with no difference
between the iron supplementation and control arms.

Costs will largely be determined by operational challenges rather than the cost of the supplement
itself. Distribution of daily iron supplementation in this population, particularly in settings where
health-care interventions do not specifically target menstruating adult women and adolescent girls,
may entail operational challenges. The resources and investments needed should be considered in
designing programmes to reach this population.

REMARKS
The remarks in this section are intended to give some considerations for implementation of the
recommendation, based on the discussion of the guideline development group.

Daily oral iron supplementation is a preventive strategy for implementation at the population
level. If a menstruating woman is diagnosed with anaemia, national guidelines for the treatment of
anaemia should be followed.

The prevalence of anaemia should be considered when determining the dose, duration and
frequency of iron supplementation among menstruating adult women and adolescent girls. If
the prevalence of anaemia is less than 40%, other guidelines are available for consideration. For
instance, for anaemia prevalence of 2040%, intermittent regimens of iron supplementation may
be an option (9).

Daily iron supplementation should be considered in the context of other interventions containing
iron (fortified foods, multiple micronutrient powders, lipid-based nutrient supplements).

The selection of the most appropriate delivery platform should be context specific, with the aim
of reaching the most vulnerable populations and ensuring a timely and continuous supply of
supplements.

All women, from the moment they begin trying to conceive until 12 weeks of gestation, should
take a folic acid supplement. Daily oral iron and folic acid supplementation should be part of
routine antenatal care, begun as early as possible and continued throughout pregnancy. Where
the prevalence of anaemia in pregnant women is high (40% or more), supplementation should
continue for 3 months in the postpartum period (10, 11).

Iron supplementation is the customary intervention that comes to mind to address anaemia but it should
ideally form only a part of a comprehensive, integrated programme for anaemia reduction and addressing
womens health across the life-course. Interventions for decreasing iron deficiency or iron deficiency anaemia
should include nutrition counselling that promotes diet diversity and food combinations that improve iron
absorption; malaria-control programmes, including intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy
and in children, as well as use of insecticide-treated bednets; control of parasitic infections; and improvement
in sanitation. Once, a woman is pregnant, antenatal programmes help promote adequate gestational weight
gain and other complementary measures for monitoring, prevention and control of anaemia, such as screening

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

for anaemia, deworming treatment and a referral system for the management of cases of severe anaemia.
Delayed umbilical cord clamping is effective in preventing iron deficiency in infants and young children. Other
options include fortification of staple foods and provision of micronutrient powders, including iron.

RESEARCH PRIORITIES
Discussions between the members of the WHO guideline development group and the external review group
highlighted the limited evidence available in some knowledge areas, meriting further research on iron
supplementation in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls, particularly in the following areas:

the optimal dose, schedule and duration of iron supplementation; the effect of different doses and
duration of iron supplementation on different severity, prevalence or causes of anaemia in all WHO
regions;

additional data on the safety of iron supplementation (liver damage; iron overload after continuing
the supplementation programme for a number of years; iron supplementation given in conjunction
with other interventions; insulin resistance; effects in non-anaemic or non-iron-deficient
menstruating adult women and adolescent girls);

the effect of adding other micronutrients to the iron supplement on haemoglobin concentrations
and the prevalence of anaemia;

implementation research on effective behaviour-change strategies for sustained adherence and

innovative delivery mechanisms for iron supplements;

additional long-term studies on functional outcomes (e.g. exercise performance and productivity)

cost, costbenefit and feasibility analysis of the distribution of iron supplementation to be taken
daily or intermittently among menstruating adult women and adolescent girls.

DISSEMINATION, IMPLEMENTATION AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Dissemination

The current guideline will be disseminated through electronic media, such as slide presentations and the
World Wide Web, through the WHO Nutrition mailing lists, social media, the WHO nutrition website (18) or the
WHO e-Library of Evidence for Nutrition Actions (eLENA) (19). eLENA compiles and displays WHO guidelines
related to nutrition, along with complementary documents such as systematic reviews and other evidence
that informed the guidelines; biological and behavioural rationales; and additional resources produced by
Member States and global partners. In addition, the guideline will be disseminated through a broad network
of international partners, including WHO country and regional offices, ministries of health, WHO collaborating
centres, universities, other United Nations agencies and nongovernmental organizations. Derivative products
such as summaries and collation of recommendations related to iron supplementation will be developed for
a more tailored product that is useful for end-users.
Particular attention will be given to improving access to these guidelines for stakeholders that face more,
or specific, barriers in access to information, or to those who play a crucial role in the implementation of
the guideline recommendation, for example, policy-makers and decision-makers at subnational level that
disseminate the contents of the guideline, and health workers and education staff that contribute to the
delivery of the intervention. Disseminated information may emphasize the benefits of iron supplementation
in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls in populations or regions presenting an important risk of
anaemia and iron deficiency. In addition, these guidelines and the information contained therein should be

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

accessible to the nongovernmental organizations working in coordination with national authorities on the
implementation of nutrition interventions, especially those related to the prevention and control of anaemia.
in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls.

Implementation

As this is a global guideline, it should be adapted to the context of each Member State. Prior to implementation,
a public health programme that includes the provision of iron supplements to menstruating adult women
and adolescent girls should have well-defined objectives that take into account available resources, existing
policies, suitable delivery platforms and suppliers, communication channels, and potential stakeholders.
Ideally, iron supplementation should be implemented as part of an integrated programme on adolescent and
reproductive health, which includes addressing micronutrient deficiencies.
Considering the experiences of menstruating adult women and adolescent girls with the intervention is
also a relevant implementation consideration: ongoing assessment of the accessibility and acceptability
of the intervention can inform programme design and development, in order to increase adherence to
supplementation and better assess the impact of the programme. This is particularly relevant in settings where
the prevailing social norms and determinants may set unequal conditions and opportunities for different
groups. For instance, in some settings, social perceptions around ethnicity and race intervene in how certain
population groups access and use an intervention.
Supplementation programmes in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls need to be carefully
designed, based on locally available evidence and experience. These can include data that can inform
the implementation strategies on procurement and supply-chain issues, optimal distribution channels,
behaviourchange communication and specific strategies to identify and reach the most vulnerable adult
women and adolescent girls. These are particularly important in the absence of a well-functioning health-care
system that reaches this population.
Accessing hard-to-reach population groups is extremely important during implementation stages, as it
contributes to preventing or tackling health inequities. Appropriate surveillance and monitoring systems can
thus provide information on the impact of the disseminated guidelines and their implementation (including
information on the adequacy of funding and the effectiveness of the supply chain and distribution channels).

Regulatory considerations

The WHO Essential Medicines List (EML) compiles medicines that satisfy the priority health-care needs of
populations and are selected with due regard to disease prevalence, evidence on efficacy and safety, and
comparative cost-effectiveness (20). Hence, the WHO EML is used by countries for the development of their
own national essential medicines lists. The quality criteria for vitamins and minerals included in the WHO EML
take into account Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/WHO standards (21).

Monitoring and evaluation of guideline uptake and adaptation

A plan for monitoring and evaluation with appropriate indicators, including equity-oriented indicators,
is encouraged at all stages (22). The impact of this guideline can be evaluated within countries (i.e.
monitoring and evaluation of the programmes implemented at national or regional scale) and across
countries (i.e. adoption and adaptation of the guideline globally). The WHO Department of Nutrition for
Health and Development, Evidence and Programme Guidance Unit, jointly with the United States Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) International Micronutrient Malnutrition Prevention and Control
(IMMPaCt) programme, and with input from international partners, has developed a generic logic model for
micronutrient interventions in public health (23), to depict the plausible relationships between inputs and
expected SDGs, by applying the micronutrient programme evaluation theory. Member States can adjust the

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

model and use it in combination with appropriate indicators, for designing, implementing, monitoring and
evaluating the successful escalation of nutrition actions in public health programmes. Additionally, the WHO/
CDC eCatalogue of indicators for micronutrient programmes (24), which utilizes the logic model, has been
developed as a user-friendly and non-comprehensive web resource for those actively engaged in providing
technical assistance in monitoring, evaluation and surveillance of public health programmes implementing
micronutrient interventions. Indicators for iron supplementation are currently being developed and, once
complete, will provide a list of potential indicators with standard definitions that can be selected, downloaded
and adapted to a local programme context. The eCatalogue will serve as a repository of indicators to monitor
and evaluate micronutrient interventions. While it does not provide guidance for designing or implementing
a monitoring or evaluation system in public health, some key indicators may include useful references for that
purpose.
Since 1991, WHO has hosted the VMNIS micronutrients database (8). Part of WHOs mandate is to assess
the micronutrient status of populations, monitor and evaluate the impact of strategies for the prevention
and control of micronutrient malnutrition, and track related trends over time. The Evidence and Programme
Guidance Unit of the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development manages the VMNIS micronutrient
database, through a network of regional and country offices, and in close collaboration with national health
authorities.
For evaluation at the global level, the WHO Department of Nutrition for Health and Development has
developed a web-based WHO Global Targets Tracking Tool that allows users to explore different scenarios
to achieve the rates of progress required to meet the 2025 global nutrition targets, including target 2: 50%
reduction of anaemia in women of reproductive age, as well as a centralized platform for sharing information
on nutrition actions in public health practice implemented around the world. By sharing programmatic
details, specific country adaptations and lessons learnt, this platform will provide examples of how guidelines
are being translated into actions. The Global database on the Implementation of Nutrition Action (GINA) (25)
provides valuable information on the implementation of numerous nutrition policies and interventions. The
use of GINA has grown steadily since its launch in November 2012.
An efficient system for the routine collection of relevant data, including relevant determinants of health,
therapeutic adherence, and measures of programme performance, is critical to ensure supplementation
programmes are effective and sustained, and drivers to the achievement of the right to health for all population
groups. Monitoring differences across groups in terms of accessibility, availability, acceptability and the quality
of the interventions contributes to the design of better public health programmes. The creation of indicators
for monitoring can be informed by the approaches of social determinants of health (26), so inequities can
be identified and tackled. Appropriate monitoring requires suitable data, so efforts to collect and organize
information on the implementation are also fundamental.

GUIDELINE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

This guideline was developed in accordance with the WHO evidence-informed guideline-development
procedures, as outlined in the WHO handbook for guideline development (4).

Advisory groups

The WHO Steering Committee for Nutrition Guidelines Development (see Annex 3), led by the Department
of Nutrition for Health and Development, was established in 2009 with representatives from all WHO
departments with an interest in the provision of scientific nutrition advice. The WHO Steering Committee for
Nutrition Guidelines Development met twice yearly and both guided and provided overall supervision of the
guideline development process. Two additional groups were formed: a guideline development group and an
external review group.

10

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

One guideline development group participated in the development of this guideline (see Annex 4). Its role
was to advise WHO on the choice of important outcomes for decision-making and on interpretation of the
evidence. The WHO guideline development group nutrition actions includes experts from various WHO
expert advisory panels and those identified through open calls for specialists, taking into consideration a
balanced mix of sex, multiple disciplinary areas of expertise, and representation from all WHO regions. Efforts
were made to include content experts, methodologists, representatives of potential stakeholders (such as
managers and other health professionals involved in the health-care process), and ministries of health from
Member States. Representatives of commercial organizations may not be members of a WHO guideline group.
The final draft guideline was peer-reviewed by three content experts, who provided technical feedback. These
peer-reviewers (see Annex 7) were identified through various expert panels within and outside WHO (5, 18,
27).

Scope of the guideline, evidence appraisal and decision-making

An initial set of questions (and the components of the questions) to be addressed in the guideline formed the
critical starting point for formulating the recommendation. The questions were drafted by technical staff at
the Evidence and Programme Guidance Unit, Department of Nutrition for Health and Development, based on
the policy and programme guidance needs of Member States and their partners. The population, intervention,
control, outcomes (PICO) format was used (see Annex 8). The questions were discussed and reviewed by
the WHO Steering Committee for Nutrition Guidelines Development and the guideline development group
nutrition actions, and were modified as needed.
A meeting of the guideline development group nutrition actions was held on 1416 March 2010, in Geneva,
Switzerland, to finalize the scope of the questions and rank the outcomes and populations of interest for the
recommendation on iron supplementation. The guideline development group discussed the relevance of the
questions and modified them as needed. The group scored the relative importance of each outcome from 1
to 9 (where 79 indicated that the outcome was critical for a decision, 46 indicated that it was important and
13 indicated that it was not important). The final key questions on this intervention, along with the outcomes
that were identified as critical for decision-making, are listed in PICO format in Annex 8.
A systematic review (6) was used to summarize and appraise the evidence using the Cochrane methodology
(7) for randomized controlled trials and observational studies. Evidence summaries were prepared according
to the (GRADE) approach to assess the overall quality of the evidence (5, 16, 17). GRADE considers the
study design; the limitations of the studies in terms of their conduct and analysis; the consistency of the
results across the available studies; the directness (or applicability and external validity) of the evidence with
respect to the populations, interventions and settings where the proposed intervention may be used; and the
precision of the summary estimate of the effect.
Both the systematic review and the GRADE evidence profiles for each of the critical outcomes were used for
drafting this guideline. The draft recommendation was discussed by the WHO Steering Committee for Nutrition
Guidelines Development and in consultations with the WHO guideline development group nutrition actions,
held on 1418 March 2011 and 2326 June 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The procedures for decision-making are established at the beginning of the meetings, including a minimal set
of rules for agreement and decision-making documentation. At least two thirds of the guideline development
group should be present for an initial discussion of the evidence and proposed recommendation and
remarks. The members of the guideline development group secretly noted the direction and strength of
the recommendation, using a form designed for this purpose, that also included a section for documenting
their views on (i) the desirable and undesirable effects of the intervention; (ii) the quality of the available
evidence; (iii) values and preferences related to the intervention in different settings; and (iv) the cost of

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

11

options available to health-care workers in different settings (see Annex 2). Abstentions were not allowed.
The process was improved with the availability of a predefined link to an online form prepared using survey
software. Subsequent deliberations among the members of the guideline development group were of private
character. The WHO Secretariat collected the forms and disclosed a summary of the results to the guideline
development group. If there was no unanimous consensus (primary decision rule), more time was given for
deliberations and a second round of online voting took place. If no unanimous agreement was reached, a twothirds vote of the guideline development group was required for approval of the proposed recommendation
(secondary decision rule). Divergent opinions could be recorded in the guideline. The results from voting
forms are kept on file by WHO for up to 5 years. Although there was no unanimous consensus, more than 80%
of the voting members of the guideline development group decided that the recommendation was strong.
WHO staff present at the meeting, as well as other external technical experts involved in the collection and
grading of the evidence, were not allowed to participate in the decision-making process. Two co-chairs
with expertise in managing group processes and interpreting evidence were nominated at the opening of
the consultation, and the guideline development group approved the nomination. Members of the WHO
Secretariat were available at all times, to help guide the overall meeting process, but did not vote and did not
have veto power.

MANAGEMENT OF COMPETING INTERESTS

According to the rules in the WHO Basic documents (28) and the processes recommended in the WHO
handbook for guideline development (4), all experts participating in WHO meetings must declare any interests
relevant to the meeting, prior to their participation. The responsible technical officer and the relevant
departments reviewed the declarations-of-interests statements for all guideline development group members
before finalization of the group composition and invitation to attend a guideline development group meeting.
All members of the guideline development group, and participants of the guideline development meetings,
submitted a declaration-of-interests form, along with their curriculum vitae, before each meeting. Participants
of the guideline development group meetings participated in their individual capacity and not as institutional
representatives. In addition, they verbally declared potential conflicts of interests at the beginning of each
meeting. The procedures for management of competing interests strictly followed the WHO guidelines for
declaration of interests. The management of the perceived or real conflicts of interests declared by the
members of the guideline group is summarized next.1
Dr Beverley-Ann Biggs declared that the University of Melbourne received funding from the National Health
and Medical Research Council and Australian Research Council for research on intermittent iron and folic
acid supplementation in pregnancy, conducted in collaboration with the Research and Training Center for
Community Development, the Key Centre for Womens Health and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute.
It was agreed that she could participate fully in the deliberations and decision-making on this guideline.
Dr Luz Maria De-Regil declared that her present employer is an international nongovernmental organization
devoted to the improvement of micronutrient status among infants, children and women. These activities
are primarily financed by the government of Canada. The Micronutrient Initiative is a leading organization
working exclusively to eliminate vitamin and mineral deficiencies in the worlds most vulnerable populations.
It was decided that Dr De-Regil could be a member of the guideline development group and would disclose
her interests and the interests of her organization in the relevant guidelines related to micronutrient
interventions. She participated in the deliberations related to the recommendation for iron supplementation
but recused herself from voting on this guideline.
A conflict-of-interest analysis must be performed whenever WHO relies on the independent advice of an expert in order to take a
decision or to provide recommendations to Member States or other stakeholders. The term conflict of interest means any interest
declared by an expert that may affect, or be reasonably perceived to affect, the experts objectivity and independence in providing
advice to WHO. WHOs conflict-of-interest rules are designed to avoid potentially compromising situations that could undermine or
otherwise affect the work of the expert, the committee or the activity in which the expert is involved, or WHO as a whole. Consequently,
the scope of the inquiry is any interest that could reasonably be perceived to affect the functions that the expert is performing.

12

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

Dr Lynnette Neufeld declared that her current employer has received funding in the past 4 years for research
and programming related to iron supplementation. At the moment she is not leading any of these initiatives. In
a prior position she held with MI, she commissioned research related to iron supplementation. It was decided
that Dr Neufeld could be a member of the guideline development group and had to disclose her and her
organizations interests in the relevant guidelines related to micronutrient interventions. She could participate
in the deliberations but she recused herself from the decision-making (voting) on the recommendation related
to iron supplementation.
Dr Hctor Bourges Rodriguez declared being chair of the executive board of the Danone Institute in Mexico
(DIM), a non-profit organization promoting research and dissemination of scientific knowledge in nutrition,
and receiving funds as chair honorarium from DIM. Some of the activities of DIM may generally relate to
nutrition and are funded by Danone Mexico, a food producer. It was agreed that he could participate fully in
the deliberations and decision-making on this guideline.
All other members made a verbal declaration of their interests and it was considered that they were not
relevant for this guideline on iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls. External resource
persons also declared their interests but did not participate in the deliberations or decision-making process.

PLANS FOR UPDATING THE GUIDELINE

The WHO Secretariat will continue to follow the research development in the area of oral iron supplementation
in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls in malaria-endemic and non-malaria endemic settings,
particularly for questions in which the quality of evidence was found to be low or very low. If the guideline
merits an update, or if there are concerns about the validity of the guideline, the Department of Nutrition for
Health and Development will coordinate the guideline update, following the formal procedures of the WHO
handbook for guideline development (4).
As the guideline nears the 10-year review period agreed by the guideline development group, the Department
of Nutrition for Health and Development at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, along with its
internal partners, will be responsible for conducting a search for new evidence.

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

13

REFERENCES
1. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. Sustainable Development Goals (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics, accessed 4 December 2015).
2. Resolution WHA65.6. Comprehensive implementation plan on maternal, infant and young child nutrition. In: Sixty-fifth
World Health Assembly, Geneva, 2126 May 2012. Resolutions and decisions, annexes. Geneva: World Health Organization;
2012:1213 (http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/WHA65.6_resolution_en.pdf?ua=1, accessed 4 December 2015).
3. Global strategy for womens childrens and adolescent girls health (20162030). Survive,thrive, transform. Geneva: Every
Woman Every Child; 2015 (http://www.who.int/life-course/partners/global-strategy/globalstrategyreport2016-2030-lowres.
pdf?ua=1, accessed 4 December 2015).
4. WHO handbook for guideline development, 2nd ed. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2014 (http://www.who.int/kms/
handbook_2nd_ed.pdf, accessed 4 December 2015).
5. GRADE Working Group (http://www.gradeworkinggroup.org/, accessed 4 December 2015).
6. Low MSY, Speedy J, Styles CE, De-Regil LM, Pasricha S. Daily iron supplementation for improving iron status and health among
menstruating women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015: in press.
7. Higgins JPT, Green S, editors. Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions. Version 5.1.0 (updated March
2011). London: The Cochrane Collaboration; 2011 (http://community.cochrane.org/handbook, accessed 4 December 2015).
8. World Health Organization. Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Information System (VMNIS). Micronutrients database (http://
www.who.int/vmnis/en/, accessed 4 December 2015).
9. Guideline: intermittent iron and folic acid supplementation in menstruating women. Geneva: World Health Organization;
2011 (http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/44648/1/9789241502009_eng.pdf, accessed 4 December 2015).
10. Standards for maternal and neonatal care. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2007 (http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/69735/1/a91272.pdf, accessed 4 December 2015).
11. Guideline: daily iron and folic acid supplementation in pregnant women. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2012 (http://
apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/77770/1/9789241501996_eng.pdf?ua=1, accessed 4 December 2015).
12. The global prevalence of anaemia in 2011. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2015 (http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/micronutrients/global_prevalence_anaemia_2011/en/, accessed 4 December 2015).
13. Iron deficiency anaemia: assessment, prevention and control: a guide for programme managers. 2001, Geneva: World Health
Organization; 2001 (http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/66914/1/WHO_NHD_01.3.pdf?ua=1, accessed 4 December
2015).
14. Beard JL. Iron requirements in adolescent females. J Nutr. 2000;130(2S Suppl.):440S442S.
15. Charoenlarp P, Dhanamitta S, Kaewvichit R, Silprasert A, Suwanaradd C, Na-Nakorn S, Prawatnuang P, et al. A WHO collaborative study on iron supplementation in Burma and in Thailand. Am J Clin Nutr. 1988;47:28097.
16. Guyatt GH, Oxman AD, Vist GE, Kunz R, Falck-Ytter Y, Alonso-Coello P, et al., GRADE Worknig Group. GRADE: an emerging consensus on rating quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. BMJ. 2008;336(7650):9246. doi:10.1136/
bmj.39489.470347.AD.
17. Guyatt G, Oxman AD, Akl EA, Kunz R, Vist G, Brozek J et al. GRADE guidelines: 1. Introduction-GRADE evidence profiles and
summary of findings tables. J Clin Epidemiol. 2011;64(4):38394. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2010.04.026.

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WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

18. World Health Organization. Nutrition (http://www.who.int/nutrition/en/, accessed 4 December 2015).

19. World Health Organization, e-Library of Evidence for Nutrition Actions (eLENA) Guideline development process (http://www.
who.int/elena/about/guidelines_process/en/, accessed 4 December 2015).
20. World Health Organization. Essential medicines and health products (http://www.who.int/medicines/services/essmedicines_def/en/, accessed 4 December 2015).
21. World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Codex Alimentarius:
Guidelines for vitamin and mineral food supplements. Geneva: World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture
Organization; 2005 (CAC/GL 55; http://www.codexalimentarius.org/standards/list-of-standards/en/?provide=standards&ord
erField=fullReference&sort=asc&num1=CAC/GL, accessed 4 December 2015).
22. Evaluation of the Good Governance for Medicines programme (20042012). Brief summary of findings. Geneva: World
Health Organization; 2013 (WHO/EMP/MPC/2013.1; http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/documents/s20188en/s20188en.
pdf, accessed 4 December 2015).
23. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. International Micronutrient Malnutrition Prevention and Control (IMMPaCt) (http://www.cdc.gov/immpact/, accessed 4 December 2015).
24. World Health Organization. eCatalogue of indicators for micronutrient programmes (https://extranet.who.int/indcat/, accessed 4 December 2015).
25. World Health Organization. Global database on the Implementation of Nutrition Action (GINA) (http://www.who.int/nutrition/gina/en/, accessed 4 December 2015).
26. Handbook on health inequality monitoring: with a special focus on low- and middle-income countries. Geneva: World Health
Organization; 2013 (http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85345/1/9789241548632_eng.pdf, accessed 4 December
2015).
27. United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition (SCN) (http://www.unscn.org, accessed 4 December 2015).
28. World Health Organization Basic Documents, 48th ed. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2014 (http://apps.who.int/gb/
bd/, accessed 4 December 2015).

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16
WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

ANNEX 1. GRADE SUMMARY OF FINDINGS TABLE

Daily oral iron supplementation compared to placebo or control in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls
Patient or population: menstruating adult women and adolescent girls (non-pregnant females in the reproductive age group)
Intervention: daily oral iron supplementation
Comparison: placebo or control1
Setting: all settings (including malaria-endemic areas)
Outcomes

Relative effect*
(95% CI)

Number of participants
(studies)

Quality of the
evidence
(GRADE)

Anaemia (haemoglobin below a cut-off value determined by the trialists)

RR 0.34
(0.20 to 0.57)

2905
(9 RCTs)

Iron deficiency (as measured by trialists by using indicators of iron status such as ferritin or RR 0.61
transferrin)
(0.47 to 0.77)

1033
(6 RCTs)

Iron deficiency anaemia (defined by the presence of anaemia plus iron deficiency, diagnosed
with an indicator of iron status selected by trialists)

Not estimable

None of the studies

reported on this outcome.

Morbidity (malaria incidence and severity)

Not estimable

None of the studies

reported on this outcome.

Comments

MODERATE2

MODERATE 3

*The risk in the intervention group (and its 95% CI) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).
CI: confidence interval; RCT: randomized controlled trial; RR: risk ratio.
GRADE Working Group grades of evidence
High quality: We are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect
Moderate quality: We are moderately confident in the effect estimate: The true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different
Low quality: Our confidence in the effect estimate is limited: The true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect
Very low quality: We have very little confidence in the effect estimate: The true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect
Studies in which iron supplements were given along with cointerventions such as other nutrients (e.g. zinc, vitamin A), deworming, education or other approaches were included in the
analysis but only if the cointerventions were the same in both the intervention and comparison groups.
2.
There was no serious risk of bias among the studies that included this outcome. The quality of evidence was downgraded owing to possible publication bias (missing small studies negative
studies). The magnitude of effect was large, with the RR is between 0.5 and 0.2 (the quality of evidence was not upgraded for the large effect size seen).
3.
There was no serious risk of bias among the studies that included this outcome. The quality of evidence was downgraded owing to possible publication bias (missing small negative
studies).
For details of studies included in the review, see reference (6).
1.

ANNEX 2. SUMMARY OF THE CONSIDERATIONS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GUIDELINE DEVELOPMENT GROUP FOR DETERMINING THE STRENGTH OF THE RECOMMENDATION FOR DAILY ORAL IRON SUPPLEMENTATION IN MENSTRUATING ADULT
WOMEN AND ADOLESCENT GIRLS
QUALITY OF EVIDENCE:

Anaemia and iron deficiency had moderate-quality evidence. The

effect sizes of the intervention on these outcomes were large.
The quality of the evidence for the effect on haemoglobin is high
though there is currently no evidence on the outcome of iron
deficiency anaemia. Although the evidence of either loose or hard
stools is of high quality, the quality of the evidence for adverse effects or gastrointestinal effects in general is low or very low.

VALUES AND PREFERENCES:

Adherence may be a concern. If the intervention is perceived as

non-essential, there may be little demand for it.
Where access to health facilities is limited, as in many rural areas,
the problem may be more prevalent. Inequities in access may thus
negatively affect successful implementation.

TRADE-OFF BETWEEN BENEFITS AND

HARMS:

Benefits include improved haemoglobin and lower risk of anaemia

or iron deficiency, which have functional consequences such as improved exercise performance. Potential harms include gastrointestinal effects, but evidence is of low quality. There is increased risk of
either diarrhoea or constipation, with high quality of evidence.
Not enough data are available on adverse events, or long-term
harm, for instance on overdose, specifically for those who are iron
replete.

COSTS AND FEASIBILITY:

The cost will largely be determined by the operational challenges

rather than the cost of the supplementation itself. The difficulty will
lie in attempting to set up vertical programmes, which can prove
very costly. Health services that do not have preventive health care
in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls may be more
likely to find this intervention infeasible.

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

17

ANNEX 3. WHO STEERING COMMITTEE FOR NUTRITION

GUIDELINES DEVELOPMENT

Dr Najeeb Mohamed Al Shorbaji

Director, Deparment of Knowledge Management and
Sharing
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Dr Douglas Bettcher
Director, Department of Prevention of Noncommunicable
Diseases
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27,
Switzerland
Dr Ties Boerma
Director, Department of Health System Policies and
Workforce
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Dr Francesco Branca
Director, Department of Nutrition for Health and
Development
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia, 20, 1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Dr Richard Brennan
Director, Department of Emergency Risk Management
and Humanitarian Response
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Dr Gottfried Otto Hirnschall
Director, Department of HIV/AIDS
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Dr Knut Lonnroth
Medical Officer, Global TB Programme
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Dr Elizabeth Mason
Director, Director of Maternal, Newborn, Child and
Adolescent Health
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland

18

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

Dr Kazuaki Miyagishima
Director, Department of Food Safety, Zoonoses and
Foodborne Diseases
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Dr Maria Purificacion Neira
Director, Department of Public Health, Environmental and
Social Determinants of Health
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Dr Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele
Director, Department of Immunization, Vaccines and
Biologicals
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Professor John Charles Reeder
Director, Special Programme for Research and Training in
Tropical Diseases
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Dr Isabelle Romieu
Section Head, Nutritional Epidemiology Group
International Agency for Research on Cancer
150, cours Albert Thomas
69372 Lyon Cedex 08
France
Dr Nadia Slimani
Group Head, Nutritional Epidemiology Group
International Agency for Research on Cancer
150, cours Albert Thomas
69372 Lyon Cedex 08
France
Dr Marleen Temmerman
Director, Department of Reproductive Health and
Research
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland

ANNEX 4. WHO GUIDELINE DEVELOPMENT GROUP

Ms Deena Alasfoor
Directorate of Training and Education
Ministry of Health
Oman
Health programme management, food legislations,
surveillance in primary health care
Dr Beverley-Ann Biggs
Head, International and Immigrant Health Group
Department of Medicine
University of Melbourne
Australia
Micronutrients supplementation, clinical infectious
diseases
Dr Norma Campbell
Professor
Departments of Medicine
Community Health Sciences and Physiology and
Pharmacology
University of Calgary
Canada
Physiology and pharmacology, hypertension prevention
and control
Dr Mary Chea
Deputy Manager of National Nutrition Programme
National Maternal and Child Health Centre
Ministry of Health
Cambodia
Programme implementation, midwifery
Dr Maria Elena del Socorro Jefferds
Behavioural Scientist, Division of Nutrition, Physical
Activity and Obesity
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
United States of America
Behaviour science, programme evaluation
Dr Luz Maria De-Regil
Director, Research and Evaluation and Chief Technical
Adviser
Micronutrient Initiative
Canada
Epidemiology, systematic reviews, programme
implementation

Dr Heba El Laithy
Professor of Statistics and Head of Statistical
Departments at Faculty of Economics
Cairo University
Egypt
Statistics, economics
Dr Rafael Flores-Ayala
Team lead, International Micronutrient Malnutrition
Prevention and Control Programme
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
United States of America
Nutrition and human capital formation, nutrition and
growth, impact of micronutrient interventions
Professor Davina Ghersi
Senior Principal Research Scientist
National Health and Medical Research Council
Australia
Policy-making, systematic reviews, evidence
Professor Malik Goonewardene
Senior Professor and Head of Department
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
University of Ruhuna
Sri Lanka
Obstetrics and gynaecology, clinical practice
Dr Rukhsana Haider
Chairperson
Training and Assistance for Health and Nutrition Foundation
Bangladesh
Breastfeeding, capacity-building on counselling and
nutrition
Dr Junsheng Huo
Professor
National Institute for Nutrition and Food Safety
Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
China
Food fortification, food science and technology, standards
and legislation
Dr Janet C King
Childrens Hospital Oakland Research Institute
United States of America
Micronutrients, maternal and child nutrition, dietary
requirements
Dr Patrick Wilfried Kolsteren
Head of Laboratory
Department of Food Safety and Food Quality
Ghent University
Belgium
Public health, food safety, laboratory methods

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

19

Dr Marzia Lazzerini
Director
Department of Paediatrics and Unit of Research on Health
Services and International Health
Institute for Maternal and Child Health
Italy
Paediatrics, malnutrition, infectious diseases, methods
Dr Guansheng Ma
Professor, Deputy Director
National Institute for Nutrition and Food Safety
Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
China
Food safety, public health, programme management
Professor Malcolm E Molyneux
Senior Scientist
Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research
Programme
Malawi
Malaria, international tropical diseases research and
practice
Dr Mahdi Ramsan Mohamed
Chief of Party
RTI International
United Republic of Tanzania
Malaria
Dr Lynnette Neufeld
Director, Monitoring, Learning and Research
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
Switzerland
Micronutrients, programmes, epidemiology
Professor Orish Ebere Orisakwe
Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Department of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology
University of Port Harcourt
Nigeria
Pharmacology, food safety, toxicology
Dr Mical Paul
Associate Professor
Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
Israel
Infectious diseases, HIV
Engineer Wisam Qarqash
Jordan Health Communication Partnership
Johns Hopkins University
Bloomberg School of Public Health
Jordan
Design, implementation and evaluation of health
communications and programmes

20

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

Professor Dalip Ragoobirsingh

Professor Dalip Ragoobirsingh
Director, Diabetes Education Programme
University of West Indies
Jamaica
Diabetes
Dr Daniel J Raiten
Program Officer
Office of Prevention Research and International Programs
Center for Research for Mothers and Children
United States of America
Micronutrients, programmes, infant feeding
Dr Hctor Bourges Rodrguez
Director, Nutrition
Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion
Salvador Zubiran
Mexico
Nutritional biochemistry and metabolism research, food
programmes, policy, and regulations
Professor HPS Sachdev
Senior Consultant Paediatrics and Clinical Epidemiology
Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research
India
Paediatrics, systematic reviews
Ms Rusidah Selamat
Deputy Director (Operations) of Nutrition Division
Ministry of Health
Malaysia
Public health nutrition
Dr Rebecca Joyce Stoltzfus
Professor and Director
Program in International Nutrition, Program in Global
Health
Division of Nutritional Sciences
Cornell University
United States of America
International nutrition and public health, iron and vitamin
A nutrition, programme research
Dr Kalid Asrat Tasew
Consultant Paediatrician
St Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College
Ethiopia
Paediatrics
Dr Carol Tom
Regional Food Fortification Advisor
A2Z Project
East, Central and Southern African Health Community
United Republic of Tanzania
Food fortification technical regulations and standards,
policy harmonization

Dr Igor Veljkovik
Health and Nutrition Officer
United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) Office in Skopje
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Programme implementation
Dr Maged Younes
Independent international expert on global public health
Italy
Food safety, public health, programme management

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

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ANNEX 5. EXTERNAL RESOURCE PERSONS

Dr Nancy Aburto
Nutrition Adviser
United Nations World Food Programme
Italy
Dr Guillermo Carroli
Director
Centro Rosarino de Estudios Perinatales
Argentina
Ms Nita Dalmiya
Nutrition Specialist, Micronutrients
United Nations Childrens Fund
United States of America
Dr Maria Cecilia Dedios Sanguinetti
Independent consultant, Evaluation
United States of America
Dr Kathryn Dewey
Professor, Department of Nutrition
Director, Program in International and Community
Nutrition
University of California
United States of America
Ms Mary-Anne Land
Research Associate
The George Institute for Global Health
Australia
Dr Sant-Rayn Pasricha
MRC Human Immunology Unit
Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
University of Oxford
John Radcliffe Hospital
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Dr Usha Ramakrishnan
Program Director, Doctoral Program in Nutrition and
Health Sciences
Department of Global Health
Rollins School of Public Health
Emory University
United States of America

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WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

ANNEX 6. WHO SECRETARIAT

Ms Victoria Saint
Technical Officer, Social Determinants of Health
Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social
Determinants of Health

Ms Sanjhavi Agarwal
Intern, Evidence and Programme Guidance
Department of Nutrition for Health and Development

Dr Eugenio Villar Montesinos

Coordinator, Social Determinants of Health
Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social
Determinants of Health

Ms Maryam Bigdeli
Technical Officer
Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research

Ms Zita Weise Prinzo

Technical Officer, Evidence and Programme Guidance
Department of Nutrition for Health and Development

Dr Carmen Casanovas
Technical Officer, Evidence and Programme Guidance
Department of Nutrition for Health and Development

Mr Gerardo Zamora
Technical Officer (implementation research and equity),
Evidence and Programme Guidance
Department of Nutrition for Health and Development
WHO regional offices

Dr Laragh Gollogly
Editor, WHO Press
Department of Knowledge Management and Sharing
Dr Maria de las Nieves Garcia-Casal
Consultant, Micronutrients
Department of Nutrition for Health and Development
Dr Eyerusalem Kebede Negussie
Medical Officer, HIV Treatment and Care
Department of HIV/AIDS
Dr Suzanna McDonald (rapporteur)
Consultant, Immunology, Evidence and Programme
Guidance
Department of Nutrition for Health and Development
Ms Daniela Meneses (rapporteur)
Intern, Evidence and Programme Guidance
Department of Nutrition for Health and Development
Dr Juan Pablo Pea-Rosas
Coordinator, Evidence and Programme Guidance
Department of Nutrition for Health and Development
Dr Pura Rayco-Solon
Epidemiologist (infectious disease and nutrition), Evidence
and Programme Guidance
Department of Nutrition for Health and Development
Dr Lisa Rogers
Technical Officer, Evidence and Programme Guidance
Department of Nutrition for Health and Development

WHO regional offices

Regional Office for Africa
Dr Mercy Chikoko
Acting Regional Adviser for Nutrition
WHO Regional Office for Africa
Cit du Djou, PO Box 06 Brazzaville,
Congo

Regional Office for the Americas/Pan American Health

Organization
Dr Chessa Lutter
Regional Adviser, Child and Adolescent Health
Pan American Health Organization
525 23rd Street, NW, Washington DC 20037
United States of America

Regional Office for South-East Asia

Dr Kunal Bagchi
Regional Adviser Nutrition and Food Safety
Healthy Ageing
WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia
World Health House
Indraprastha Estate, Mahatama Gandhi Road
New Delhi 110002
India

ANNEX 7. PEER-REVIEWERS

Dr Nigel Rollins
Medical Officer, Research and Development
Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent
Health

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

23

Ms Solange Durao
Senior Scientist

South Africa Cochrane Collaboration Centre

South Africa
Dr Tran Khanh Van
Vice Head of Nutrition
National Institute of Nutrition
Vietnam
Ms Terrie Wefwafwa
Chief Executive Officer
Karibuni Kenya (Consultancy)
Kenya

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WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

ANNEX 8. QUESTIONS IN POPULATION, INTERVENTION, CONTROL, OUTCOMES (PICO) FORMAT

Effects and safety of iron supplementation in menstruating adult women and adolescent girls

Could iron supplements given to menstruating adult women and adolescent girls improve health outcomes?
If so, (a) at what dose, frequency and duration of the intervention? (b) in which settings?
POPULATION:

Menstruating adult women and adolescent girls

Subpopulations:
By malaria (no transmission or elimination achieved, susceptibility to epidemic
malaria, yearround transmission with marked seasonal fluctuations, yearround transmission; with consideration of Plasmodium falciparum and/or
Plasmodium vivax)
By use of concurrent antimalarial measures introduced in the study: yes versus no
By antimalarial measures implemented by the health system: yes versus no
By womans anaemia status: anaemic versus non-anaemic
By womans iron status: iron deficient versus iron replete

INTERVENTION:

Iron supplementation
Subgroup analyses:
By iron dose: 30 mg versus 60 mg versus other
By frequency: daily versus weekly versus twice weekly versus other
By duration: 3 months or less versus >3 months
By additional nutrient: iron versus iron plus folic acid versus iron plus other
micronutrients

CONTROL:

No iron supplementation
Placebo
Same supplement without iron

OUTCOMES:

Short-term outcomes
Anaemia
Iron deficiency anaemia
Iron deficiency
Morbidity
Malaria incidence and severity (parasitaemia with or without symptoms)

SETTING:

All countries

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Department of Nutrition for Health and Development
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20,
CH-1211 Geneva 27,
Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 791 4156
E-mail: nutrition@who.int
www.who.int/nutrition

WHO Guideline: Daily iron supplementation in adult women and adolescent girls

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